Rotary explosive-engine.



F. A. IVIILLER. ROTARY ExPLoslvE ENGINE;

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I5. I9I3.

Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

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ROTARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPucATloN FILED SEPT. 15. 1913.

PntentedSept. 7, 1.915

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` r. A. MILLER. ROYARY EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. l5. 1913.

PatentedSept. T, 1915.

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F. A. MILLER.

ROTARY EXPLOS1VEENG1NE. APPLICATION F'ILED SEPT1.15.1913.

Patented Sept. T, 1915.

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To all whoml it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK A. MILLER, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Montgomery, in the county of Montgomery, State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful mprovement in Rotary Explosive- Engines, of which the following isa specification. l

f The-primary object -o'fthis inventionl is the production of an engine of vthat class wherein explosive discharges are employed. as a source of continuous power, and wherein the lexplosive medium before ignition does not come in contact with the exhaustv gases or products of combustion.

The invention is adapted to produce an additional vamount of power, with less fuel, less vibration and less weight than heretofore and because of its lessened weight and simple construction can be constructed and also used more economically.

It has been found previous to the produc` l tion of my invention that owing to diiiiculty in producing tight joints between the cooperating moving members of the rotor, cylinder and valves, that engines of the rotary type have been ineicient in operation. This defect has been overcome by my invention.

This inventlon also by its novel construction permits of lubrication of its working pai-ts veffectively without difficulty. i

It also more perfectly than any prior device removes back pressure due to the escape of gases including inert gases and the residual products of combustion between the moving parts of the en ine.

-lt further governs t e supply of fuel according to variation in load and by its novel construction is adapted to produce a succession of explosions, of Aany number desired during every revolution.-

A- further object is the production of an engine of the class set forth which is useful in all applications vto which internal combustion engines are usually applied.

It is especially applicable to automobile, marine and other uses where power is used,- owing to the absence of excessive vibration, light weight, simplicity of construction, ecnoniy lin use, and also toits compact fOrm.

This invention while light in weight has a liberal allowance for strength and is eccncmical in fuel consumption and space and Specification of Letters fateli-t.'

reliable in operation. novel' means of cooling the engine is also provided- J ratenieaseaa a, isis. Application filed September 15,1913. Serial No. 789,743. I

Furtherobje'cts and advantages :will be i apparent from the following description,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this -specication in whichy Figure l is a vertical section cf my proved engine; Fig. 2 is a section4 taken o..

the line A-A of Fig. l; Fig. 3 is a section taken' on the line Ei-B, Fig. l; is a section taken on the line C-C, Fig. 1; lFig# 5 is a section taken on the line- D-D,'"Fig.

l; Fig. 6 is a. view of my invention shown coppected with a form of'fuel supply apparatus; Fig. 7 is a-plan of the lower face of the head, and Fig., 8 is a section the.

line lik-E, Fig. l.

ln the drawings, base in the forni of a case in which avertical shaft 2; is ing 2.

G indicates an air pump 'of rotary type having its cylindrical casing 3 secured to the base F by bolts li, and H indicates my improved rotary engine having the lower end 5 of its cylindrical casing secured upon the casing of thepump by bolts 6. The base and ca-sings of the pump and engine are arranged vertically with the'sha .2 eX- tending concentrically therethrough lt is however feasible with my 'invention to an' range these parts in other positions than vertical. The end 5 of the casingof the engine has an annular space 6 surrounding the shaft and a peripheral horizontal fla-nge 7 vupon which is mounted the cylinder wall 8 having horizontal ribs 9( on its exterior for air cooling purposes. rlhis cylinder may be water cooled if desired. The perftion 5 thus forms the lower side or end of the cvlinder. Upon the top of the cylinder wall is secured a head piece l0,l which also has an annular space l1 within its Wall snrrounding a. centrally disposedvopening l2 througli which the shaft 2 passes. This head forms the upper side or end of the cylinder. The lower side 5 and head l0 are secured to the cylinder wall by bolts-i3 or 1 in any other suitable manner.

. Within the cylinder chamber formed by the cylinder wall 8, the lower wall 'i4 of the head and the wall l5 of the lower side 5 is placed a rotor or driving runner l having, a hub l5 keyed er otherwise secured to F indicates a suitable journaled inthe step 'been' icc the shaft 2, radiating spokes 16 and a cylindrical body 17 co-axial with the shaft. The cylindrical body 17 carries upon its periphery a plurality of radiating impcller blades 18, (see Fig. 3) the tips of which have wear pieces 19, seated therein and pressing outwardly under pressure to form tight working joints between the impelling elements and the cylindrical wall of the cylinder. Four impelling element-s are illustrated upon the rotor equally spaced apart around its axis and located in the wall of the cylinder and spaced evenly around the axis thereof are a plurality of vertical valve chambers 20,

g drocarbon fuel which are adapted by hollow rotary valves 21 seated therein to admit fuel such as gas, air or a mixture of air and hydrocarbon into the ycylinder. through communicating ports 22 and 23 respectively in the wall of the valve and through the wall `of the cylinder, there being an uneven number such as one less valve than there are impelling elements on the rotor. Consequently three valves are illustrated in the apparatus disclosed for the purpose of coperating with four impelling elements on the rotor. This uneven number of coperating elements is adapted to produce a large number of explosions in the combustion chamber every revolution of the rotor. "di

Located adjacent each valve in the wall of the cylinder is a/,swinging abutment 24 and adjacent cash abutment and valve and in communication with the space or pocket formed by the impelling elements in the cylinder is an igniter 25 (see Fig. 2) of the usual character such as an electric spark plug whiclis seated in thewall of thecylinder. The valves 21 and swinging abutments are made to operate in synchronism with the rotation of the rotor by suitable valve operating mechanism to be hereinafter described. The function of the abutments is to place a dam between the impelling elements on the piston'in the cylinder, so as to form pockets in the cylinder back of each impelling element into which the gas or hyis automatically injected and ignited and later expelled at suitable successive intervals during the rotation of the rotor.

The rotor is formed with suitable exhaust ports 26, one being placed in advance of each impelling element and egressing up'- wardly through an outlet opening 27 in the top of the body of the rotor, the outlets for said exhaust A being equally spaced apart around the axis of the rotor and adapted to communicate at even successive intervals `with three exhaust ducts 28 (see Fig. 7) which are evenly spaced. apart around the axis of the head and, communicate with a common exhaust chamber 11 in said head and a-nozzle 29 (see Fig. 2) leading to the outer atmosphere from the side of the head.

-provided with a. stem 41 Placed in the cylinder adjacent its upper and lower sides 'are two flat wear rings 30 and 31, which form guides between which the ends of the abutments 24 slide, the lower plate. being pressedupwardly by expansion springs 32, which are seated in openings 33 formed inthe lower side 5 of the cylinder. Thus the wear plates are held tightly in contact with the ends of the abutments and form a tight joint irrespective of the amount of wear which takes place. The inner faces of the wear plates are cut out to form recesses 33 in which the abutments swing the edge 34 of each of said recesses forming a back stop which defines the limit of movement of the abutment, at substantially right angles across the space intervening between the body of the rotor and the side wall of the cylinder. The edge or shoulder of each recess 33 also assists 'in forming a tight joint between the abutment and the wear plates, so that a tight pocket is adapted to be formed in the combustion space.

Each abutment has a slotted hub 35 seated in an opening 35 formed in the side and ends of the casing, said hub fitting over a shaft 35 which is journaled in said ends. The shaft has a lug 35 on its side engaging in the slot with said hub to turn the abutment by said shaft. The upper end of each of the shafts extends through and above the upper side of the cylinder and has a crank arm 36 attached thereto. To the free end of said arm a. coil spring 37 isfastened, whose function is to normally urge the abutments across the combustion chamber in the cylinder as will be hereinafter more particularly described. The hollow rotary valve 21 seated in each valve chamber 20 and having a port 22 in its side in the form of a longitudinal slot is formed with an open lower end and a closed upper end (see Fig. 1), said lower end being adapted to connect with a manifold 38 which communicates with all of the rotary valves and is fastened to the lower side 5 of the cylinder by bolts 39. This manifold has a fuel ingress pipe 40 which is adapted to supply-any fuel desired to the engine for loperating it such as a mixture of air and gasolene or any other hydrocarbon.

The upper end of each of the valves 21 is passing through and journaled in the upper side of the cylinder, and to this stem is secured a suitable crank arm 42, having a suitable valve actuating mechanism to be hereinafter described connected to its free end, whereby the valves and the abutmcnts are adapted to be op-l erated in synchronism with the revolution of thel engine rotor. Each' of the four impelling elements on the rotor s formed with an inwardly and forwardly sloping cam surface 43 which as the rotor revolves latence i cooling the innersurfaces of the' engine and said rotor, pivoted means disposed within f storing air ,for use in preparing compressed fuel for operating the engine.

ln accordance with the patent statutes l` have described the principles of operation of my invention together with the apparatus which l now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof but l desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be'carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth Within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A rotary engine comprisingin combination, a casing, a rotor within said casingl and forming therewith an annular chamber, spaced impelhng elements carried by said chamber adapted to coperate with said impelling elements to form pockets, wear plates tensionally engaging said pivoted f means for guiding` and limiting the movement thereof in one' direction, valved fuel inlets adapted to communicate 'with each of said pockets, means for operating said valved inlets to deliver into saidpockets, means for 'igniting the fuel in each pocket, and-exhaust ports for the spent gases,

2. A rotary engine comprising, inI com bination, acas'ing, a rotor within said casing and forming therewith an annular chamber, spaced impelling elements carried by said rotor, pivoted meansdisposed within said chamber adapted to coperate with said iiipelling elements to form pockets,

wear plates tensionally engaging said pivoted means for guidin the movements thereof, a backstop on 4said wear plates for limiting the movementl of said pivoted means in one direction, means for normally holding said pivoted means against said backstop, valved fuel inlets adapted to communicate with each ofy said pockets, means for operating said valved inlets to deliver into said pockets, means for igniting the fuel in each pocket, and exhaust ports forv the spent gases.

3. ln a rotary explosive engine, the oom-y bination of a cylinder, a rotor co-axial with said cylinder forming a chamber and having a plurality of impelling elements on its periphery, a plurality of swinging abutments seated in the wall of said cylinder and pivoted therein so as to swing across said chamber and assist in forming pockets in which compressed fuel is received and fired, the number of abutments being different from the number of impelling elements on said rotor, said limpelling elements being formed with inwardly and forwardly slopingfaces which are adapted to sweep overv said abutments and swing them out of their path, means for returning said abutments across said chamber immediately back of the impelling elements, a valve in the wall of said cylinder communicating with each of said pockets and adapted to admit fuel therein the valves being of Auneven number as regards the number of impelling elements on said rotor, means for firing the fuel in each of said pockets, said rotor being formed with an exhaust passage leading from in front of each impelling element and terminating through the end of said rotor and an end plate on said cylinder having port openings wth which said exhaust passages are ada ted to register to exhaust spent gases from the pockets and having perforations which are adapted to register with said port passages to release gases remaining in front of the` impelling elements and back of said -abutments across said chamber.

4. ln a rotary explosive engine, the combination of a cylinder, a rotor co-axial with said cylinder forming a chamber and having a plurality of impelling elements on its periphery and exhaust passages from said chamber from in front of said impelling elements and through the rotors end, a plurality of abutments pivoted in the wall. of said cylinder and adapted to swing'across said chamber and assist in forming a series I of pockets and to move back out of the path "of said impelling elements, said chamber having a plurality of valved inlets for compressed fuel into said series of pockets, mea-ns for firing the fuel in said'pockets and a pair of spring pressed Wear rings having seats in whichf the ends of said abutments are' adapted to turn and stop shoulders delining the position ofvsaid abutments across said chamber, said rings being held tight upon the opposite ends of said abutments to produce gas tight joints.

5. A. Irotary engine comprising, in combination, `a casing, a shaft extending through said casing, a rotor keyed upon said shaft and forming with` said casingan annular chamber, spaced iinpelling elements Kcarried by said rotor, a pluralityV of swinging abutF ments disposed within said chamber and adapted to elements to form pockets, valvedfuel inlets adapted te communicate with each of said pockets, a drh-fing collar carried by said coperate with said impelling respectively with 45 shaft and having cam surfaces, mechanism connected vwith said valved inlets and adapted to be tripped by said cam surfaces for operating said valved inlets to deliver into said pockets, means actuated by said shaft to frictionally engage said collar for automatically governing the movements of said valved inlets to regulate the amount of fuel delivered into said pockets, means for igniting the fuel in said pockets, and exhaust ports for the spent gases.

6. In a rotary explosive engine, the combination of a cylinder, a rotor co-axial with said cylinder forming a chamber and having a plurality of' impelling elements on its periphery formed with forwardly and inwardly sloping surfaces and abrupt rear walls, said cylinder and rotor being formed respectively with admission and exhaust ports, a plurality of abutments pivoted in the wallof said cylinder and adapted to swing across into said chamber pocket forming position, the number of said abutments being different from the number of said i1npelling elements so as to produce a succession of pockets every revolution of the rotor, springs normally urging said abutments into pocket forming position, the front surfaces of said impelling elements being adapted to sweep said abutments into the wall of said cylinder andthe back surfaces to release said abutments into pocket forming position, spring pressed wear ringshaving recesses in which the ends of said abutments are slidably seated and forming shoul-f ders defining the pocket forming position of said abutments, and means for firing the fuel admitted into said pockets.

7. In a rotary explosive engine, the combination of, a cylinder, a rotor co-axial with rsaid cylinder forming a chamber and having a plurality of impelling elements on its periphery, said cylinder and rotor being formed admission and exhaust ports, a plurality of abutments pivoted in the wall of said cylinder and adapted to swing across said chamber into pocket forming position, the number of said abutments being different from the number of said impelling elements so as to produce a succes sion of pockets every revolution of the rotor, a plurality of open ended cylindrical valves rotatively seated in said cylinder to connect with said admission ports and admit fuel under pressure into said pockets, a manifold connecting with the open ends of said valves and means for igniting the charges of fuel in said succession of pockets.

In a rotary explosive engine, the combination of, a cylinder, a passaged rotor c0- axial with said cylinder forming a chamber and having a plurality of impelling elements on its periphery, said cylinder and rotor being formed respectively with admission and exhaust ports, a plurality of abutments pivoted in the wall of said cylinder and adapted to swing across said chamber into pocket forming position, the number of said abutments being different from the number of said impelling elements so as to produce a succession of pockets every revolution of the rotor, a plurality of valves seated in said cylinder to communicate with said admission ports and-ad zit fuel under pressure into said pockets, a fuel and air mixer connected with said valves, a fuel chamber connected with said mixer, means for igniting charges of fuel in said succession of pockets, an air compressor mounted co-axial with said rotor having its inlet adapted to exhaust air from the passage through said rotor and cool its surfaces, and apressure tank connected with the air pressure outlet from said compressor and with said 'fuel tank and mixer.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this, specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- FRANK A. MILLER. Witnesses:

L. W. MARTIN, I. L. HAY. 

